Field crop packing machines



. March 4, 1958 H. H. SHAW AL 2,825,573

FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1956 s Sheets- Sheet 1 INVENTORJ HUGH H. SHAW MART/N SANDEPSON HAROLD BRADSHAW A TTOR/VEYS March 4, 1958 H. sH w ETAL FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1956 U M WET 5 g TA March 4, 1958 1- s w El'AL 2,825,573

FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES Filed Jan. 25, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS HUGH H. SHAW MART/N SANDERSON HAROLD BRADSHAW BYW'I/ M 7 ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 H. H. SHAW ETAL 2,825,573

FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES Fi led Jan. 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 L 2 g :2 5 1 T RE f w E cn t 1 i \F E I l \ln r "E l r: 5 42 2| 2N Q E {4 (E r l A \\\L \l: 5 5; l"

r. i I I J.

Q INVENTORS HUGH H. SHAW F I MART/N SANDERSON g HAROLD BRADSHAW 2; By I" ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 H. H. SHAW E AL 2,825,573

FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS HUGH H. SHAW MAR77N l SANDERSON HAROLD BRADSHAW lllllllll nv l l y r241 A Tm/PNEVS U ited States Patent FIELD CROP PACKING MACHINES Hugh H. Shaw, Martin I. Sanderson, and Harold Bradshaw, Salinas, Califi, assignorsto Cochran Equipment Company, Salinas, Califi, a corporation of California Application January 23,1956, Serial No. 560,742 6 Claims. (Cl. 280 -34) This invention relates to field crop packing machines of the type having wings which are foldable together for road travel and which are movable to oppositely directed spread positions for field travel, and it particularly relates to an improved pivotal cantilever suspension system for the Wings wherein the. wings. are horizontally swingable and do not require anything in the form of supports for their outer ends.

An object of the invention is toprovide a simple and efiicient cantilever suspension for the, pivotally. mounted wings of a field crop packing machine whereby the need for wheels to support the outer ends of the wings is eliminated.

A further object of the invention is to provide, for the horizontally swingable wings of a field crop packing machine, a cantilever suspension system serving as the sole support for the wings.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide means in such a cantilever suspension system for the uplifting of the wings to counteract such sagging of the wings as may occur as a result of extended use of the machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Figure l is a view in perspective of the subject field crop packing machine;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine, with the solid line showing of certain elements thereof representing the traveling condition of the machine, and with the dotted line showing of certain elements thereof representing the field crop packing condition of the machine;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the chassis of the machine;

Figure 4 is a partial view in rear elevation of the machine in field crop packing condition;

Figure 5 is a view taken along lines 55 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail View in section taken along lines 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged detail view in section taken along lines 77 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an enlarged view in perspective of a wing to truck connection;

Figure 9 is another view in perspective of a wing to truck connection; and

Figure IOis a view in section taken along lines 1010 of Figure 4.

With immediate reference to Figures 1-3 for a brief description of the overall appearance .Qfthe machine, the machine comprises a chassis frame formed of side rails 19 and end rails 12, means for supporting the chassis frame comprising a front set of leaf springs 14, a front driving axle housing 16 supported thereby, front wheels 18 steerably supported and driven by the front axle, a rear set of leaf springs 2%, a rear driving axle housing 22, rear wheels 24 steerably supported and driven by the rear axle, a motor 26 mounted on support members the workman indicated at 96 in Figure '1.

28 carried by the chassis frame, said motor. being connected through differential 30 by shaft. 32 to a divider box 34 which is. in. turn connected by shafts 36 and 38 to front. wheel axle. differential. 40 and rear wheel axle dilferential 42, respectively. Linkage means indicated there is mounted on either the chassis frame or the deck the following elements: a pair of pivotally mounted packing wings 54 adapted to be disposed in the solid lin position of Figure 2 for road travel and to be disposed in the dotted line position for field travel; a roller conveyor 56 adapted to transfer filled cartons fiom the wings 54' to the position indicated at 58 at which point there is adjacentl'y. disposed a carton stapler 59; means comprising a flat belt conveyor 60 and a curved guard rail 62 to transport and turn the sealed cartons as they are moved ofi of conveyor. 56; an upwardly inclined belt conveyor 64 adapted to receive the cartons from conveyor 60 and deliver them up onto a roller conveyor 66 from whence they are removed to a truck, not shown. The conveyor 66, which is attached and suitably braced with respect to a pivot post 68, is adapted .to be disposed in the solid line position of Figure 2 for road travel and in the dotted line position for field travel. The machine is further provided with deck extension members 7t} and 72 adapted to be moved to the dotted line position of Figure 2 for the, support of- WOI men, for field travel.

As shown in Figures 1, 4 and 10, the wings 5.4 each comprise an upper roller conveyor 7.4, having carton retaining and guide walls 76 and 78, adapted to have fed thereon, as by the workman indicated at 80 and 81 in Figure 1, empty cartons 82, carton supporting humps 84 onto which the empty cartons are placed, after being removed from conveyor 74, and into which the field product 86 is packed, as by the worker indicated at 88 inFigure 1 who stands on a support platform 99 and takes the produce from the supply ray 92, Where it is placed by. the field pickers, and packs it into the cartons; The p d r n ar thea ifte on o r ll r on yor 94 from whence they are moved onto the fixed intermediate conveyor 95, and then onto conveyor 5o, as by The means for, pivotally supporting the wings 54cc the chassis frame are shown in Figures 4-9. Secured; as by welding, to the side channel members 10 of the chassis frame is a pair of double diametral posts 38 Sleeves are rotatably'disposed on the smaller diametral upper portions 102 of said posts and supported by the larger 'diametral lower portions 104 of the posts. A pair'of vertically spaced and horizontally disposed plates 106 (Figure "9) are disposed embracing relation with each sleeve 1% and are'secu'red thereto,-

as "by welding. To the straight edges 108 of each'pair of plates 1436 there is secured, as'by welding, an inner hinge plateliti which has a plurality of spaced tubular elements 112 welded to its upper edge. An outer hinge plate 114, which has a plurality of spaced tubular elements 116 welded to its upper edge, is connected :to each inner hinge plate 1-10 by a rod 118 which extends through the inter-fitting tubular'elements 112 and'ii." The plates 114 are normally secured to plates 11tlagainst piyotal movement with respect thereto about the rods 1181by bolts 12s which extend through the plates and are fastened thereto by nuts 122.

The wings 54 are secured to the outer hinge plates 114. The primary load bearing members of each wing 54 consist of a pair of box beams 124 which have their inner ends welded to one of the plates 114. Reinforceten d Mer- 4 ,195-

meat struts are welded 2' to 124 torsuppcrt the beams. The beams 124 of each pair are mutually secured together by a plurality of transversely extendmgtubnlartie members 128. Sesjured to beams} 1 24 are angle members llit); imwhich ther'olle-fi 7 elements 132 of rconveyor94 are'journaled; Boxchan-t nel posts 134 having vertically extending portions 136" and horizontally extending portiris138 (Figure 16) are secured; as byhweldiug, to the f'orward'one' of each pairtof beams 124. The horizontallyexteiiding portions l 7138 of posts 134 have secured thereto the angle members 140 to which are secured the roller elements 142 of the Lconvey-or74 and the side plates 76 and 78. A boxibeam 144 is interconnectedtby cross members 146 to each of the beams'124. The car'ton supporting humps 84 are supported by the cross members146, and the beams 144 have secured thereto the wing supply trays 92. Platforms 90 are secured to hanger members 148 which in turn are secured to beams 124'an'd"144.

Means are provided to braceably interconnect the twoposts 98, said means comprising a cross member 150 having secured to its underside sleeve caps 152*t0 receive the upper ends "of posts 98, and bolts 154 securing member 150 to said posts. Member 150 is provided with integralvforwardly directed arms 6 having downwardly seeders a' plate 114 and a beafii' to each of said second H member, a pair of vertically spaced and horizontally dis posed platessecured to each sleeve member, a first vertically disposed platesecured to the outer edges of each pair of first mentioned plates, a second vertcially disposed plate disposed in'normally abutting relation with each of said firsttvertically dispgsed plates, hinge connec- 7' tions between the -upperlends of saidtfirst and seconds plates; 'and anelongated cantilever'wing fixedlysecured horizontally therefrom. a t

2., Apparatus of the type 'described'comprisin'g' a'iwheel supported chassis frame; a "pair of opp sitely disposed! upright post members secured to said frame, a sleeve V inclined forward portions'158 which are Welded to deck t 52; e The arms 7 1 56 0f member 150 are further braced ,and 7 supported by means comprising: vertically 'positionedm'embe'rs- 160 having theirlower ends welded to deck- 52 and their upper ends Welded to'the undersides of arms 156; and by struts 162'welded to'mernbersi 16 9 and to the downwardly inclined forward portions 158 of farms15'6'." I v e r V 'Means adapted to lock each of the wings 54 in the spread position comprise: an arm 164 welded to a' strut 126;' a hand-operable lever arm" 166 pivotally secured by belt 168 to an up-turned ear 170 integral with arm 164;

a pair of U-shaped toggle members 172 having one end 'thereof pivotally connected to lever arm-166 and theother end pivotally connected to a rod7174; a notch 176 member rotatablydisposedand supported 'on each post member, a pair of vertically 'spacedand horizontally disposed platessecured to each's leeve member aifirst vertically disposed plate secured to the outer edgesfof' t each pair of first mentioned plates, a second vertically disposed plate disposed in normally abutting relation with each or said first vertically disposed plates, hinge com necti-ons between the upper ends of said first and second plates, an elongated cantilever Wing fixedly secured to'" each'of said second plates "and extending substantially horizontally, therefrom, and fastening'mea'ns adapted to 'maintain said first and second plates vin abutting relation,

said. means being removable whe're'by shims maybe placedi a between said first and second". plates to eliminate :any a sag from s'aid wings.

3. Apparatus of the type described; as seti forthiniz, claim 2;further comprising actie member interconnect-' ;ing the upper ends of saidpostmembers mutually brace said post members.-

4; Apparatus of the type described s aidwings togsaid 'frame for pivotal "movement about vertically disposed 'axes, s'aid'means including ;for, eachwing a pair of vertically disposed abutting p1atesextendformed in strut 162 and adapted to receive rod 174; and

astop member 178 threaclably engaged with red 17 4. When the lever arm'166, toggle member 172,iand, stop member 178 are disposed in the dotted .line' positions of Figure 7',' counterclockwise movement of lever :arni. 166 to the solid line 'pfositi-onb'rings stop member 178.

1 plates; I

into tight engagement withstrut 162- to secure'the'wing in the spread position; Movement of lever arm' 166;

fromthe solid tline'positi on' of Figure 7 to the dotted line position-enablesirod 174 to be'r'aised out of notch 176 ,so hat the Wing may be pivoted to the trailingupos iti A I for road travel. a r 1 a t While the described pivotalcantileverl suspensionof 'the wings 54' serves to eifectively carry the loads tojwhich the wings'are subjected dun'ngnse, the wings tend to droop abit after extended use To compensate for this, i. e.

' to bring the wings up from the solid'line position of V it Figure 6 to the 'dotted line position, the following is done:

'thebolts 120 are removedfrom plates 11!} and 114;'the

, canbe'considered as being represented by that portion 7 wing raised the desiredrdegree; a tapered shim plate,vwhich of thelsolid line showing of plate 114' in Figure 6 which is not overlain by the dotted line showing'of plate 114 V 1 isr'inserted between plates and1114;and the bolts are replac'ed. 'fl

' Whatis claimed is;

sing for substantially the Width o f-the wing and being hing! edly connected together at their upper ends, said wings being fixedly secured to 5. Apparatus of the type described comprising a wheel supported chassis'fram'e means connectingga pair-lotelongated wing-s. having no wheel supports to said frame for pivlotal 1 movement about vertical; axes,iand ineans forming a continuous horizontally "disposed Jhinge line connection between said wings and said "frame whereby 1 said wings maybe adjustablymoved upwardly aboutisaid pivotal connection to'compensate for any sagging of said.

wings: 5 .1 at; t"

6. Apparatus of the type described 'comprisinga wheel;

supported chassisjiframe; meansy connecting a :pair "of elongated wings having so, wheel supports to ,Said fr ame k for pivotal movement; about vertical axes; means form'- 7 ing a horizontally disposed pivotal' connecticni;bepween r p 1. Apparatus of the type described comprising a wheel a V supported chassis frame, a pairtofj oppositely disposed upright post members secured to said frame, a sleeve memberrotatably disposed and supported on each post said wings and said frame wherebyysaid wings mayfbe; adjustablyt moved upwardlyl-ahoutrr said pivotal acon'nec- 1 tion to compensate for any sagging 10f: said wings, and 1 a b means. rigidly tdisposed in mutually; bracing relation -w ith f t 1 said wingsiwithout interfering iwith "either;pivotalirriovef plates and extending substantially:

andadapted-jto;

comprisiiigaiwlieetf 7 supported chassis frame; a'pairjoflelongated wings adapted to extend substantially horizontally;irom said frame without wheel supports, anti-means for connecting the'outer plates of said pairs of; t '7 

